With chaos on the rise in our society, it’s a blessing to hear about people willing to sacrifice their time, energy, and resources to help others. “5,000 Blankets” tells the story of a woman and her son who did just that.
From the website:
“Inspired by a remarkable true story, ‘5000 BLANKETS’ is filled with hope and highlights the power of family and faith. When her husband has a mental breakdown and goes missing, a woman and her young son set out to find him on the streets, sparking a movement of compassion towards those in need and inspiring a city.”
The Humanity of the Homeless
At least two characters in the story bring the humanity of the homeless into focus.
It’s easy to dismiss a generic need, but when you give that need the face of a man or a woman who has fallen on hard times and lost hope … it can change your perspective.
It can move us from stereotyping, categorizing, and subsequently dismissing … to becoming engaged, curious, and wanting to help in the ways that we are able.
What difference does it make?
You’ve probably heard the classic story of the boy and the starfish. If you haven’t, here’s the basic plot….
A boy walks along a beach littered with dying starfish. Something is causing the little creatures to wash up on the shore.
There are piles of them everywhere, dying, and their stench is stifling.
A man sees the little boy gingerly picking up and tossing one after another back into the water.
The man watches for a time and notes that—despite the boy’s persistent efforts to save them—the number of starfish collecting on the beach continues to increase.
He calls out to the boy, “Young man, it’s useless. I know you’re trying, but you’ll never make a difference.”
The boy tosses another starfish back into the water before responding, then says, “Excuse me, sir, but I just made a difference to that starfish.”
Without giving away too many details of “5,000 Blankets,” let’s just say that a blanket will not change everything in a person’s life—but when the winter winds begin to blow, it can surely make a difference to the person who receives it.
Small Sacrifice, Big Impact
When we see enormous issues, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But don’t let the immensity of the problem drive you away. Take one small step toward a solution.
You can help one homeless person with one small step.
Create a care package, and tuck it in the backseat of your car. Load it with practical, imperishable items like:
- A bar of soap
- A toothbrush
- A tube of toothpaste
- Socks
- Lip balm
- A pair of gloves
- A bag of dried fruit
- A granola bar
Not A Private Matter
The story told in “5,000 Blankets” helps us understand how mental illness can send a devastating ripple through an entire family.
Thankfully, although we may not get to decide what trials we face in life—we retain the right to decide how we will respond to them.
The movie walks us through one healthy, loving response.
A Pet Peeve Pitfall Avoided
I’ve often lamented the fact that most so-called “family-friendly” movies are missing an essential element. This absence is subtle, yet powerful … and extremely dangerous: they present a Godless world.
The Central Character of Creation, the One in Whom we live and move and have our being, is completely absent from the script!
Thankfully, this movie—albeit imperfectly—has that void filled.
Overcomers At Work
With all the battles raging in the culture and in the world, it’s a luxury to step into a story that displays kindness triumphing over despair.
It may have a limited budget, but “5,000 Blankets” displays a transformation that is priceless.
Get the popcorn ready….
